News & stories

As we take action to manage our land resources in a sustainable way, let’s also protect all the living creatures that the healthy land supports and depends on. On this World Migratory Bird Day, let's remind ourselves about everyday contributions that all of us can make to ensure the health of the planet and its inhabitants, including birds. Healthy land relies on migratory birds just as much as they depend on it to feed, breed and rest during long journeys. In exchange, birds pollinate plants, carry seeds and control pests. Keeping land free from plastic pollution is a way to protect migratory birds and their habitats. While disposable plastic products are often used for their main purpose only briefly, discarded plastic can linger on Earth for hundreds of years, killing birds that get entangled in plastic debris or swallow them. When we keep plastic waste away from natural habitats, we benefit a myriad of living organisms. Be assured that they will return the favor by keeping our planet healthy and beautiful. Read more:  Messages from the Executive Secretary

On this page, you can download the agenda and presentations of the Drought Toolbox Validation Workshop held in Antalya, Türkiye, 2-4 May 2019. Workshop agenda Opening overview and agenda Session 1: Development/Implementation of National Drought Plans Why national drought plans? Overview of developing National Drought Plans; How does it work? Criteria and institutional requirements, etc. Daniel Tsegai [UNCCD] UNCCD: Drought Initiative; National Drought Plans & Beyond Robert Stefanski/Frederik Pischke [WMO/GWP] Development and Implementation of National Drought Plans Session 2: Drought Toolbox - Pillar 1 Early Warning and Monitoring Systems [Robert Stefanski/Frederik Pischke, WMO/GWP] IDMP Drought Monitoring and Early Warning Systems FAO’s Perspectives on Early Warning and Monitoring Systems [Maher Salman/Yo Nishimura, FAO] FAO’s Perspective on Early Warning and Monitoring Systems UNEP-DHI Portal on Drought Monitoring & Early Warning - Background [Bertrand Richaud, UNEP-DHI] UNEP-DHI Portal Drought Monitoring & Early Warning Hands-on exercise on relevant features of the Drought portal [Bertrand Richaud, UNEP-DHI]  Step By Step Exercise Rainfall Data Rainfall Index Soil moisture index Vegetation index Socioeconomic data Reporting Session 3: Drought Toolbox - Pillar 2 Vulnerability Assessment – Perspectives from FAO [Maher Salman/Yo Nishimura] Vulnerability Assessment Perspectives from FAO Vulnerability Assessment/IDMP/Drought Impact Reporters [Robert Stefanski/Frederik Pischke, WMO/GWP] IDMP Vulnerability Assessment and Drought Impact Reporters Drought Impact and Vulnerability Assessment (UNCCD, Caroline King-Okumu) UNCCD IDMP: Drought Impact & Vulnerability Assessment  Session 4: Drought Toolbox- Pillar 3 FAO’s Drought Risk Mitigation Tools from the field - [Maher Salman/Yo Nishimura, FAO] FAO Drought Risk Mitigation Measures Drought Risk Mitigation Measures - IDMP, etc. [Robert Stefanski/Frederik Pischke, WMO/GWP] IDMP Drought Risk Mitigation Measures Decision Tree on Risk Mitigation Measures/best practices [Jeroen van Dalen, UNCCD]  UNCCD Risk Mitigation Measures/Best Practices

Avoiding, reducing and reversing  land degradation requires investments in sustainable land management practices. The Land Degradation Neutrality Fund (LDN Fund), co-promoted by the UNCCD, is a first-of-its-kind fund that invests in profit-generating sustainable land management and land restoration projects that contribute to SDG 15.3. However, project preparedness can be a major bottleneck for sustainable land management investments. The LDN technical assistance facility (TAF), managed by the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), helps overcome this hurdle. The LDN TAF can provide grants for projects that have the potential to receive funding through the LDN Fund and can be investment-ready within twenty four months. Pre-investment assistance focuses on enhancing technical, operational and financial design and structures, as well as provide project preparedness support that considers broader social and environmental impacts. To be eligible for LDN TAF pre-investment support, a project needs to demonstrate that it meets the LDN TAF eligibility criteria, and must go through the five-stage application process. Interested parties can find more information here... Read more: LDN Fund Land and SDGs Achieving LDN

On 12 April the Team of the Capacity Building Marketplace (CBM) visited the high school students of the CJD Christophorusschule in Königswinter, Germany. The main purpose of this visit was to raise awareness about the importance of engaging the youth in sustainable development and the value of the land to our lives. The multinational/multicultural CBM Team comprising Anna Berecz (Hungary), Lina Pérez (Colombia), Jorge Sanz (Spain), Raissa Tadia (Cameroon) and Ines Belhous (France) engaged around 80 students between the ages of 15 and 18 on several issues including the importance of proper land management, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the work being done under the Convention, and the opportunities that  the Marketplace offers, such as scholarships, university programs, vacancies, and much more. They also demonstrated through video and stories of personal experiences what it means to be an intern at the UNCCD, and doing daily work at the Marketplace.

Ankara, Türkiye – To raise global awareness of desertification that affects the livelihoods of millions of people around the world  and to mark the World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD), the government of Türkiye, together with the Photographic Arts Federation and other partners, is launching an international photo contest "Desertification and Life." The winning entries will be awarded and exhibited at the WDCD global observance event in Ankara on 17 June 2019. Deadline for submissions is 28 May 2019. More info...